The guard looked at her like she was addled in the head, but then smiled again. “Just let me know if you need anything,” he said and walked away.
“Or maybe the voices in my head,” she muttered once she saw him resume his post at the exhibit entrance.
“You don’t have to talk very loudly for me to hear you. Even if you whisper, I’ll hear you just fine, and once you claim me, you will be able to talk to me in your head.”
“Claim you?”
“Yes. As I said, you are descended from the Priestesses of Freya, one of Her Daughters. Although I must admit I have never met a descendant with dark hair and eyes. Your skin reminds me of the Spaniards some of my previous hosts met.”
“Excuse me?” Jessie asked, not sure if she should be offended.
“I apologize for not asking earlier, but what is your full name?”
“Jessica Inez Ramirez, but everyone calls me Jessie.”
“Are you a Spaniard, Jessie?”
“I’m an American.”
“Yes, of course you are—we are in America, after all—but where do your family’s ancestors hail from?”
“My father’s family is mainly from Spain and France; my mother’s family is from the Netherlands. Why do you ask?”
“Well, as I have said, only the Daughters of the Goddess Freya have the ability to hear and speak with me. You do not look like any of my previous hosts, so I am wondering where your connection to the Ericksohn family lies?”
“My grandmother’s last name was Erikkson, but she spells it differently from the name on your card. My mother’s last name is Engstrom.”
“Ah, then the mystery is solved. You are most likely one of the daughters.”
Jessie narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “Look, this is rather surreal, and I’m not entirely convinced this isn’t some elaborate prank. What are you exactly?”
“I am Vala, sword of the Daughters of Freya.”
“All that tells me is your name and your religion. I’m going to need more than that.”
“I am the sword that the Goddess Freya had her blacksmith forge. Her Priestesses spoke Enchantments as she Herself engraved me with Runic Talismans. Then when she was satisfied with the result, she gave me to the first Daughter of Freya, Thorfinna. Thorfinna passed me to her daughter, Sigrid, then Sigrid passed me to—”
“Stop. This is ridiculous.”
“What is ridiculous?”
“That you’re a talking sword, and I’m still standing here listening to you.”
“I see. Then your mother or grandmother has not told you about me?”
“No, my mother’s an office manager, and my grandmother died when I was ten.”
It was quiet for a minute and Jessie thought, just perhaps, she had imagined that the sword had been speaking to her. Then the sword sighed, and it sounded like the edge of a blade sliding against a sharpening stone.
“Such is my lot after twelve centuries of life. I was once the hand of my Lady Freya’s Will, and now I sit in a museum waiting for one of the Daughters to take me up again and make the world safe for women and children so they . . .” the sword trailed off, but sounded sincere, and the longing in its voice made Jessie’s heart ache a little.
“Is it . . . terribly lonely?”
“Yes, a bit. I do have Jürg and Tessa for company though.”
“Who are they?”
“Jürg is the suit of armor behind you, and Tessa is a tiara in the next room. I mostly speak to them at night when the crowds are gone.”
Jessie looked back at the suit of armor. “He talks, too?”
“His maker, Jürg the Younger, haunts him, so it’s not really the armor that’s talking, but the spirit that lives inside it. Tessa is enchanted like me, but it’s unlikely she will ever find someone to claim her again, as most of her family was murdered by Bolsheviks in 1918.”
Jessie must have looked skeptical, because Vala continued without waiting for a reply. “They would introduce themselves, but you wouldn’t be able to hear them. Not unless you can hear ghosts, or perhaps are related to the Nickolev family. Are you?”
“Not that I know of. Listen, did you say you defend women and children?”
“Yes. If you take me up and accept the powers I bestow—”
“Powers? What powers?”
“Please stop interrupting me, and do whisper so the guard won’t come back over.”
“Sorry. I’m getting kinda anxious and freaked out. This is just so weird,” Jessie said quietly.
“I understand. It isn’t every day that you are told you are Chosen and have a great